Trips - Overnight & Day Adventures
Trips
Trips in the Montessori learning environment are one of the things that sets a Montessori education apart from the traditional schools. Giving students the skills and experience away from home challenges them to navigate new environments, interactions, independence and continues to support and develop stronger communities with their peers and guides.
High School (10th - 12th Grade)
High School students are given the opportunity to travel within Colorado, to other states within the US, and internationally. Most students experience at least one extended trip of 10 -14 days away together. Previous adventures have included exploring Greece, Costa Rica, London, France, Germany, Russia, and Italy. All trips provide an extension of academic and community goals, and are typically planned to have a service component.
Farm School (7th - 9th Grade)
Trips are an opportunity for students to experience some of the freedoms and responsibilities of adulthood and be a part of a greater community. Students spend the days and weeks prior to a trip researching locations, getting quotes, making decisions, buying supplies, and packing for trips.
Guides spend days and weeks building curriculum around potential experiences and learning in preparation for trips. It is when we are on a trip that students can take on different roles within the community--roles that are not part of our daily time together at school. In addition, trips provide an opportunity for students to make new connections and build new relationships--we work together to prepare meals, learn about our environment, interact with our outside community, and support each other in being away from home.
When we return from our trips we spend time reflecting on our experiences and time together. Going on trips in the Farm School significantly influences the community in the days before, during, and after the trip. It is our goal that all students do not feel left out or disconnected from the planning, execution, and reflection of a trip.
Fall Trip is an overnight trip meant to allow students and staff some time to reacquaint with one another at the beginning of the school year.
Spring Trips are overnight trips in May each year as we wrap up the school year, and celebrate together before we head off to summer. Spring trips mostly include 7th & 8th graders, as some of the 9th years often plan their own Valorizations trips.
Spring Valorization Trips for 9th Years
- Culmination of work and learning: Head, Heart, Hands
- Students contribute 10% - 30% of cost
- Happens during Farm School Community Trip week
Upper Elementary (4th - 6th)
Fall Trip & Spring Day Trips
The Upper Elementary program also offers one overnight trip in the Fall and a series of day trips in the spring each school year. The first, at the beginning of the year, is comparable to an outdoor lab program. For their second trip, students help decide and plan the logistical aspects including the location, food, expenses, and activities. These collaborative experiences help foster independence, community, and a sense of belonging.
Lower Elementary (1st - 3rd)
3rd Graders - Third grade students from both campuses spend at least one overnight trip together hiking, studying flora and fauna, and playing team-building games that foster cooperation and communication which will help them transition into Upper Elementary. First and second grade students take field trips during the day throughout the year, and it varies each year based on classroom guides, area of academic focus and student interests.
Children’s House
Day Field Trips such as the theater, park nature walks, etc. Varies each year based on the classroom guides, area of academic focus and student interests.
Overnight Trip Policy
As many of you know, Colorado law requires Compass Montessori to not discriminate against and provide, as needed, reasonable accommodations to transgender students. Recent United States Supreme Court decisions also require Compass Montessori to provide notice to parents/legal guardians of their opportunities to request reasonable accommodation of their sincere religious belief..
At times, these two rules may seem to be in conflict. But Compass Montessori respects both of these legal prescriptions and believes we can honor all students and parents/legal guardians without discrimination based on race, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, transgender status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. If there is any activity at Compass Montessori that gives any parents/legal guardians concerns with either accommodating their transgender student or accommodating a parent/guardian or student’s sincere religious beliefs, please contact the administration to address your concern. Our door is open. We do not wish to do anything that might be disrespectful of your family or your beliefs.
What is a "Going Out?" (Day Field Trips organized by students)
At Compass we encourage and support students to take what they are learning in the classroom environment and seek to learn more about it out in the world. Therefore, we offer several "going out" trips throughout the year. Elementary students may feel inspired to research a certain topic, and are given space to initiate a field trip somewhere to explore that topic in a more hands-on or in-person way.
They may take field trips as a classroom as well. Farm School students may take trips during their Self Expressions and High School students may take trips during AWOL, electives, or as an entire group for various reasons throughout the year.